The essay that sparked this: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxcQgjnJhCFGbzJEN1E3NDFxcU0/edit
Ciardi prompts some interesting thoughts. What truly is happiness? Am I happy? Ciardi shows through his essays that neither simple desire, or lack thereof, constitutes happiness. He instead indicates that happiness is given more by the struggles we encounter. However, he doesn't simply define this concept. He forces the reader to think. To struggle. And through that to realize how struggling, and enduring, brings happiness.
I agree with his idea of happiness to a point. My original post for this, which I personally feel was better written, accidentally deleted itself, so I had to rewrite. I do not feel happy about having to struggle to finish writing before the deadline, but there is happiness is expressing different opinions. And happiness I find in realizing how I feel when I struggle. I realize that happiness is more than the struggle, but also the accomplishment. When I originally finished the post I felt happy with my work and accomplished. I would go beyond simply defining happiness as joy found in struggling, but more so in accomplishment. However, I would not limit the definition to only be true when struggling. I am happy when I find something clever, or not so clever, online that is humorous. And also when I am with friends and we are discussing things or just taking I feel happy. While you could argue that I could be struggling, whether it's with keeping in check with social barriers, or against the quantity of poor content on the Internet, I don't feel as if I am, and that's kind of important for considering happiness definition.
Happiness is a universal concept, and is universally different. The fact that we struggle to define such a concept, however, shows that we have all felt it in one way or another. Am I happy? I still don't know, but happiness isn't permanent so that could change. As I approach the end of this, I do feel happy. I am accomplishing a desire. But happiness isn't simply in desire. It's more and less. Am I happy? Yes. Does the definition being known or unknown change that? No. But I still would like to know the definition. It'd make me happy.
Ciardi prompts some interesting thoughts. What truly is happiness? Am I happy? Ciardi shows through his essays that neither simple desire, or lack thereof, constitutes happiness. He instead indicates that happiness is given more by the struggles we encounter. However, he doesn't simply define this concept. He forces the reader to think. To struggle. And through that to realize how struggling, and enduring, brings happiness.
I agree with his idea of happiness to a point. My original post for this, which I personally feel was better written, accidentally deleted itself, so I had to rewrite. I do not feel happy about having to struggle to finish writing before the deadline, but there is happiness is expressing different opinions. And happiness I find in realizing how I feel when I struggle. I realize that happiness is more than the struggle, but also the accomplishment. When I originally finished the post I felt happy with my work and accomplished. I would go beyond simply defining happiness as joy found in struggling, but more so in accomplishment. However, I would not limit the definition to only be true when struggling. I am happy when I find something clever, or not so clever, online that is humorous. And also when I am with friends and we are discussing things or just taking I feel happy. While you could argue that I could be struggling, whether it's with keeping in check with social barriers, or against the quantity of poor content on the Internet, I don't feel as if I am, and that's kind of important for considering happiness definition.
Happiness is a universal concept, and is universally different. The fact that we struggle to define such a concept, however, shows that we have all felt it in one way or another. Am I happy? I still don't know, but happiness isn't permanent so that could change. As I approach the end of this, I do feel happy. I am accomplishing a desire. But happiness isn't simply in desire. It's more and less. Am I happy? Yes. Does the definition being known or unknown change that? No. But I still would like to know the definition. It'd make me happy.